Cancer General & Solid Tumors

• Warning signs of cancer (CAUTION)

  • Change in bowel habits
  • A wound that does not heal
  • Unusual bleeding
  • Thickening or lump in the body
  • Indigestion
  • Obvious change in a mole
  • Nagging cough
• Difference between benign and malignant cancer cell growth

  • In benign there is abnormal growth that doesn't metastasize and rarely occurs
  • In malignant there is abnormal growth that is harmful to the body and metastasize and frequently occurs
• 2 major categories of cancer are

  • Solid tumors are seen in blood vessels, bone, fat tissue, lymph vessels, muscles, tendons (sarcomas), or epithelial cells (carcinomas)
  • Cancers of the blood and bone marrow which are lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma
• Classification of cancers are through:

  • Anatomic site (identifies by tissue of origin)
  • Histology (Grade I to IV and X as undeterminable of abnormal cells)
  • Clinical Staging (0 - V)
  • TNM (tumor, nodule and metastasis)
• 2 types of radiation therapy

  • Brachytherapy aka internal radiation
  • person has a private room and visitors can only stay for 30 minutes and 6ft away from the patient. Cannot be pregnant
  • Teletherapy aka external radiation
  • Do not wash purple radiation marking off skin
  • Monitor for irritations or burns
  • Do not use fresh flowers, lotions or deodorants
• Side effects of radiation

  • taste changes, xerostomia, and tissue scarring
  • Wet desquamation
  • keep skin infection free
  • Dry desquamation
  • Keep skin moist
• xerostomia is dry mouth
• If patient has nausea and vomiting while undergoing treatment give antiemetic 30 - 60 minutes before starting treatment
• Chemotherapy

  • Cell cycle-Nonspecific
  • Alkylating Ex: chlorambucil
  • Antitumor ATBs Ex: bleomycin, doxorubicin
  • Platinum drugs Ex: carboplatin, cisplatin
  • Cell cycle-specific
  • Antimetabolites Ex: methotrexate, hydroxyurea
  • Vinca Alkaloids Ex: starts with vin
• If person has decreased WBC give filgrastim
• If person has low RBC give epoetin alfa
• If person has low platelets give oprelvekin
• Labs for breast cancer include BRCA1, BRCA2, and HER2 genes
• A person with breast cancer that has gotten surgery should not get IV or BP on operated side and they will have to do arm exercises for life due to the risk of lymphedema
• hypertension increases risk of kidney cancer
• a person with bladder cancer has to get TURBT surgery and CBI. CLots from the CBI has to be passed in 24 hours
• Skin cancer warning signs (ABCDE)

  • Asymmetrical
  • Border
  • Color
  • Diameter
  • Evolving